Mail-box.



BEST AVAILABLE cop PATENTED JUNE 13 J. W. HUNT.

MAI L BOX.

APPLIOATION TILED MAB..15. 1905.

J/Z f/ 2'6 722:

BEST AVAILABLE COP Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WILLIAM HUN", OF OAKLAND, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BOX.

i SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,133, dated June 13, 1905. i

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WILLIAM HUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Coles and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

A This invention consists of a novel form of mail-box designed particularly for rural free delivery systems, the essential feature of the invention residing in the provision of a support in which the mail-receptacle is movably mounted, means being rovided whereby access may be had to tfie interior of the receptacle from either side thereof, so as to ,make the operation of removing and insertging the mail easy and convenient for both the ,carrier and the owner.

z The invention contemplates also special ioperating devices for actuating the mail-re- ;ceptacle, as will be pointed out more clearly jas the description proceeds.

; For a full description of the invention and ithe merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of Ethe means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mailboX embodying the essential features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view Correspondingand like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Sp ecifically describing the invention, a suitable base 1 is utilized, at the ends of which are located end supports 2. The supports 2 preferablyconsist of vertical end pieces, which are substantially secured to the base 1, and these end pieces are connected at the upper portions by a semicircular housing or casing 3. The housing 3 may be made of The Application filed March 15, 1905. Serial No. 250,279.

ends with heads 5 to afford closures for the receptacle and prevent ingress of foreign matter of any kind. The receptacle 4 is revolubly supported beneath the housing 3, the shape of the latter conforming to that of the receptacle, and access is had to the interior of the box proper by means of a longitudinal opening 6 in the same. Mail-matter may be deposited or extracted from the receptacle 4 through the opening 6, and said opening is of such a' size that when the 1nailreeeptacle is actuated and disposed in a predetermined position the housing 3 will entirely close the opening 6. The receptacle 4 is journaled in the end members 2 of the support carrying the same, and said end pieces 2 are provided with suitable openings forming bearings for the above purposes.

A crank 7 extends from one of the journals of the receptacle 4 and operates near the outer side of one of the end pieces 2, said crank being provided with an operating-handle 8. The receptacle 4 is held in a prede termined position by means cooperating with the crank 7, a flanged ring or band 9 being attached to the outer side of the adjacent member 2 of the support. At opposite points in the flanged portion of the ring or band 9 said band is notched, as indicated at 10, and the crank 7 is adapted for a certain amount of spring play admitting of movement into and out of the notches 10. The notched ring 9 affords a lock means for holding the crank 7 in an ascertained position, and the receptacle may thus be positively positioned either closed or open. Thus in the practical embodiment of the invention as soon as the crank 7 is raised to an approximately vertical position the same springs into the upper notch 10, and the opening 6 of the receptacle 4 is also in an uppermost position, eil'ectively closed by the housing 3. WVhen the handle 8 is operated so as to turn the crank 7 to a lower vertical position and engage with the lower notch 10, the opening 6 assumes a position admitting of free ingross to the interior of the receptacle.

It is desi ned to use a semaphore in connection with the mail-box, so that persons withm a house or at a distance from the re- IOO ceptacle will know when mail has been de posited in the, rece tacle 4. For this purpose the crank-han le 7 has a flag 11 attached thereto near its outer extremity. After the carrier deposits mail in the receptacle 4 he gras s the handle 8 and turns the receptacle unt' the crank-handle 7 engages the upper notch 10, the opening 6 being thus closed. The movement of the crank 7 elevates the flag 11, and this will indicate that mail is in the box ready for removal. When the owner removes the mail, he also grasps the handle 8, turning the crank slightly lower than the handle, so as to have ready access to the interior of the receptacle 4. The mail removed, the-crank 7 is moved downwardly until the same engages the lowermost notch 10 of the ring 9', in which position the receptacle 4 is locked open.

The form of the receptacle 4 is suchthat BEST AVAHABLE COP 792,133

even when the opening 6 is arranged lower most, as above mentioned, there 1s no likelihood of ingress of foreign matter within the rece tacle 4.

aving thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is- In a mail-box, the combination of the base 1, the end pieces 2, the housing 3 connecting the end ieces 2, the cylindrical rece tacle 4 provided with an opening 6 the cran 7 having the handle 8, the semaphore 11 carried by said handle, and the band or ring 9 secured to one of the members 2 and notched at 10 for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES WILLIAM HUNT. [1,. 8.] Witnesses-z 1 J. P. I'LXNCOCK, l W. T. RINGLAND. 

